Places

Punt

A fabled land known for gold, ebony, wild animals, ivory, leopard skins, live apes, incense (especially myrrh), and aromatic gum.

Deir el-Bahari

The location where a trade expedition to Punt is recorded, dated to 1493 BC.

Amarna

The new capital of Egypt established by Akhenaten, featuring a unique architectural style emphasizing light.

Abu Simbel

A site containing a temple of Ramesses II, located on the border with Nubia and known for its victory depictions.

Valley of the Kings

A secret rock-cut tomb area for pharaohs, starting with Amenhotep around 1505 BC.

Indus Valley

The region where the Indus Valley Civilisation emerged, primarily in modern-day Pakistan and India.

Sarasvati River (Ghaggar-Hakra)

An ancient river that disappeared somewhere between 4000 and 1600 BC.

Mehrgarh

The earliest Neolithic site in the northwest Indian subcontinent, continuously occupied from around 7000 to 2600 BC.

Mohenjo-Daro

The largest city of the Mature Harappan period, covering 120 hectares and housing 40,000–80,000 people.

Harappa

A major city of the Indus Valley Civilisation known for archaeological excavations and historical significance.

Kot Diji

An example of a large city from the Early Harappan period, characterized by its defensive walls.

Huanghe (Yellow) River Valley

A region in northern China known for evidence of early agriculture and state development.

Yangtze River Valley

A southern China region, warmer and better watered, where Asian rice was domesticated around 9,500 BC.

Erlitou

A true city with a population of 20,000, significant for its elite centers and potential capital status of the Xia state.

Hemudu

A wet archaeological site in the Yangtze River Valley known for rice-paddy cultivation evidence.

Anyang (Yin)

Recognized as the last capital of the Shang Dynasty, notable for its large ceremonial and administrative centers.

Huanbei

A palace-temple complex near Yin, intentionally burned down after less than 50 years of use.

Sanxingdui

An early city featuring a defensive wall and sacrificial pits containing bronzes, ivory, and jades.

Xiaotun

A ritual complex known for being part palace and part temple, where most oracle bones have been found.

Tyre

An important Phoenician city-state located along the coast of modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.

Gordion (Gordium)

The capital of the Phrygians, known for its strong defensive structures.

Urartu

A mountain kingdom in Armenia with a unified kingdom formed to defend against the Assyrians.

Nineveh

The capital city of the Assyrian Empire moved by Sennacherib, renowned for its grand palace.

Babylon

The capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar.

Nimrud

The capital founded by Ashurnasirpal II, notable for the tribute used in its construction.

Behistun

An important site in Western Iran where Darius's reign is commemorated, crucial for cuneiform decipherment.

Palatine Hill

A founding location of Rome featuring Iron Age huts.

Pompeii

A Roman town near modern Naples that was buried under volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Carthage

A North African city-state, founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC, in present-day Tunisia.